Page 71 of Raven's Nest
She looked up at him, head pounding, everything still sliding sideways. “How…”
One word, and everything just stopped working.
He touched his ear. “An experimental earpiece. Not fully effective as the sound waves penetrate your skull, but they dampen the symptoms long enough to maintain the upper hand. I’m afraid this sonar pulse weapon has a manufacturing defeat. It’s overpowering the electrical system no matter what I do. Just like with theVigilant. Who would have thought it would blow the entire panel? Compromise the hull?”
“Is that your way of saying you hadn’t planned on sinking the ship?”
“That was always the endgame. I couldn’t risk having any eyewitnesses. Just dumb luck that damn storm intensified as fast as it did. Changed direction. Blew theVigilantfarther off-course than planned. I wanted to search for the wreckage months ago, but it was still too hot. Too fresh. Looks like my patience paid off.”
She cried out when the next tone had her hurling. Puking up the coffee she’d drank before leaving. “We’re not the only ones who know about you. You won’t get far.”
“Nice try, but you were genuinely surprised to see me, which suggests they only know about Watson. Notthat it matters. No one’s lucky enough to survive two storms.”
He backed up. “Iamsorry, Saylor, but I’ve worked too hard to let sentimental feelings cloud my judgement. You really should have let this all go.”
Another step, then the boat listed hard to port. It knocked him against the hatch — gave Saylor the opening she needed.
She scrambled toward him, gaining her feet as he regained his balance. He fired, caught the side of her vest, but her momentum carried her into him, taking them both to the floor. They grappled for the weapon, both trying to tear it free, before she managed to elbow him in the jaw — claw out one earpiece.
It landed on the deck, falling between the grated floor, as another pulse sounded beneath them. Definitely louder. Maddox shouted, holding his head with one palm as he yanked the weapon out of her trembling hands — stumbled to his feet.
The room spun, that noise dragging her down as Maddox fumbled with the pistol. He finally managed to grip it correctly when Zain raced past her, barreling into Maddox hard enough the impact shook through the floor as they hit the wall, both crumpling to the ground.
That got her up and moving. Shaky. Barely coherent, but enough she staggered across the room, punched Maddox in the jaw when he stirred, before removing the other earpiece, then placing it in Zain’s ear. Not that it would eliminate all the effects, but it might give him an edge.
“Zain…”
Zain groaned, blinking several times before he jerked awake. He grabbed his ribs, breathing through what she imagined was debilitating pain, but he managed to pick up the gun — sweep the area.
He glanced at her, gaze slightly unfocused. “Are you hit?”
She shook her head, regretting it when it circled the room. “I’m fine…”
“I saw you take a hit.”
“Vest held, but we need to get out of here. The sonar’s overloading the electrical system. It’s only a matter of time before it blows.”
He nodded, resting against the hatch for a second. “I just need to catch my breath.”
Saylor steeled her resolve, used the panels to claw her way to her feet. “No time to rest, soldier. We have to get to the Zodiac. Now.”
Zain groaned, looking at her through half-lidded eyes. “Were you always this bossy?”
“Yeah, you were just too busy falling for me to notice. Feet. Now.”
He chuckled, grunted, then levered up, bracing against the wall as the ship rose and fell off another giant swell. “Are you sure we can’t save this ship?”
“Maddox said the weapon had a flaw. That it overloaded the circuits no matter what he did, and I don’t think he was lying. This thing’s a ticking time bomb.”
Zain nodded. Not much, but she got the message. He looked at Maddox, arching his brow.
She took a shaky step. “We can’t leave him here. I want him to pay, but not like this.”
“I was afraid you’d say that.” He offered her the weapon. “You think you can see straight enough to fire if some asshole jumps us?”
“I’ve got your back.”
“We get topside. Find Chase and Greer, then bug out. Assuming your boat’s still in one piece.”
